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Welcome To Denver: Malik Beasley

With their third first-round selection and 19th overall pick, the Denver Nuggets selected Malik Beasley in the 2016 NBA Draft. The 19-year-old shooting guard out of Florida State averaged 15.6 points in 34 games last season for the Seminoles, marking the second-highest point total (529) and point average (15.6) tallied by a freshman in school history.

Beasley was the first FSU player in school history to declare for the NBA Draft after just one season, and he is carrying this same jump-right-in-attitude into his NBA career.

“Just compete every day, work hard, and whatever Coach wants me to do, I’ll do it. It’s time to get to business,” said Beasley.

At 6’5” 196-pounds, Beasley is comparably-sized to the Nuggets' seventh overall pick, Jamal Murray, who measures at 6’4” and 207 pounds. While Beasley does not have any preexisting personal relationships with any Nuggets players, he competed against Murray during college and considers him a friend. Both Beasley and Murray will fill up the roster next to Nuggets guard Gary Harris (6”4’, 210-pounds).

With a now stacked roster, Beasley knows there is a lot of power in a little friendly competition.

“I’m still going to work hard to compete against [Jamal Murray]. We’re friends, and we’re going to work hard together to get Denver back on again,” said Beasley in a post-draft interview with the NBA.

Beasley will have roughly four months to get acclimated to the mile-high altitude and just enough time to start building comradery with his new teammates.

When asked if Beasley was ready to adjust to the thin Colorado air, Beasley confidently said, “Yes, sir. Yes, sir, I’ve got to. It’s the only way to do it.”

Take a look behind-the-scenes as Malik Beasley name is called at the 19th pick during the 2016 NBA Draft!